Ocean Grove has secured a recruiting coup by signing Newtown & Chilwell and former Grubbers’ junior Zanna Woods for the 2024 netball season.
Woods’ inclusion will offset the retirement of star goal attack Ashton O’Brien, who was best on court in this season’s grand final victory.
Ocean Grove director of netball Gill Hodgson said new coach Mel Holmes reached out to Woods about the possibility of coming back home to Shell Road.
“We were looking for a new front line attack knowing we had some retirements,” she said.
“We made a list of who we’d love the most and thankfully it felt right for her to come back home. We’re very excited.”
Woods, a star attacking player, played junior netball at the club before moving to Leopold and then Newtown & Chilwell in 2019.
In a further boost, the 26-year-old, who has won three GNL best and fairest awards, will be a one-point player for the Grubbers next season.
Ocean Grove will enter next season as the hunted after a breakthrough premiership this September.
“Zanna is part of the plan for continued success,” Hodgson said.
“To get her around the club and around the girls will be great. Zanna was happy and well supported (at Newtown & Chilwell), but just decided to come and play at Ocean Grove. It’s huge for us.
“Last year we saw quite a few clubs rising in skill level and threatening the top four. It made for a competitive A grade season.”
Holmes has already started to put plans into place for Ocean Grove’s A Grade premiership defence.
“We’re really excited to have Mel and she’s been really proactive in getting to know the girls and reaching out to all of them and making sure we’ve got a solid base,” Hodgson said.
